When it comes to streaming services, family plans are where it's at for many users — no one wants to pay a monthly fee for each user in their household. This is especially true for music streaming services, which is why things like Spotify's family plans and Apple Music's family options are popular options. And it's really the one thing missing from Google Play Music All Access in order to make it a great service.

Tomorrow, that will change. At the Nexus event, Google not only plans to take the wraps off of new Nexus phones, Chromecasts, and a lot more, but it will also announce a new family streaming package for All Access. This plan will include unlimited streaming for up to six family members — each of which will use their own account — for just $14.99 a month.

For comparison purposes, Spotify's family plan is $14.99 a month for just two members, $19.99 for three members, $24.99 for four, and $29.99 for five total members. Apple's option is priced exactly like Google's will be: $14.99 a month for six members, making them both a much better value than Spotify.

At this point, we don't have any more details to go on, but it all seems pretty straightforward. Our confidence level is high on this one, so get ready to add your whole family to your streaming plan tomorrow.

Getting ready for Apple's arrival to the Play Store with their music app.

someone755

And all the butt-hurt fanboys to rate the app one star.

I still don't understand what the deal was with everyone rating the "Move to iOS" app 1 star, it worked great for me.

7-down

Just dumb kids trying to be cool by rating it 1star. #fanboysaredisgusting

Adil Tajgeer

me too, i like their playlists more than play music and spotify (which has the worst playlists)

my free trial on my ipad is until november, so hopefully it's on the play store by then

vomer

Prefer Spotify's curated playlists tbh.

Zak Taccardi

the Songza playlists in Google Play Music are curated

ezzkmo

So in Spotify when I search, it also brings up thousands of user-created playlists, and I can just subscribe to them. So does Google Play Music also let users do this, besides just having the Google or Songza created ones?

DoctorRabbitfoot

Yes

SpasilliumNexus

You mean these?

ezzkmo

Yes, exactly that. Good to know! It seems when I tried it during launch that was not available...or nobody created and shared anything yet.

The problem is... it hard to find one using Play Music, instead of Spotify....

Dpat

Oh I know, I use Spotify all the time! I enjoy the playlists on Spotify, or just the chart lists. Also I'm just used to it now. It can be hard to move your friends off of it, unless you show them something compelling enough. Maybe the free 25,000 song uploading feature can convince them?

I used Play music for 4 months, don't think I'd mind going back though.

So how will different accounts be linked together in order to pay for all accounts with only one? Will there be some "background checks" or will any Gmail accounts be enough? (i.e. family could be friends from anywhere in the country)

I'm curious as well, and very hopeful that this is the beginning of the badly-needed family options for app and video ownership.

Chris Sanner

not to be greedy...but I've still got the $8/month intro offer for the play music...don't suppose I'd have to bump to full price to move to the new plan? probably would...

Craig Welch

But if you are jumping to new plan for a family member, its cheaper than if you both were on the $8 plan... 8+8=16 vs 15 for 6 ppl.

Chris Sanner

true but right now my family member has no plan and uses Pandora more or less exclusively. most likely this won't change anything for me until my son gets older, I guess :)
so no big deal either way - I'll probably lose my discount by then anyway.

I'm pretty sure he, and I, understand that. But we're grandfathered into a $2 discount. Would be nice not to lose that status in the process, especially if we end up losing our entire family in a car accident from them fiddling too much with their new Google Play Music while driving, leaving us shattered and alone with nothing but the solace of knowing we can move back to a cheaper solo Google Play Music account, then being slapped in the face with finding out we've lost our grandfathered $7.99 plan forever. Oh, the sweet, brutal irony...

Paul_Werner

Well that escalated quickly

Craig Welch

Yeah. Hopefully that wont happen, then $2 a month is the least of your worries. Hopefully they include all the youtube stuff as part of this family plan as well. Youtube Red or Music Key or whatever it is called

My wife uses my account to listen to Play Music. If she kicks me off while I'm using it I pull up youtube or something. It's not the best plan ever but I'm definitely not going to double our cost just to add my wife. Maybe I can add friends and have them pitch in $2/mo to make up the difference.

If it were tacked on like $2-$4/person, I'd do it immediately.

Pranjal Ramawat

Google can you hear me?
We Indians, Only miss out on the Play Music service. I have been begging and requesting. This is the only thing that holds us back from Apple in India. PLEASE PLEASE and PLEASE bring Music service. Why is it so hard and why is it taking so much time?

Suicide_Note

Speak to your government representatives.

ynksbsbll2

I wonder if 2 people already have Play Music subscriptions, can you roll them together without losing all your personalized content

Well, all of that is tied to your Google account. So in the same way that you could presumably cancel your Play Music All Access account today, then sign back up in a month and have everything back, the same should work here. Your family members surely wouldn't be required to sign up for new Google accounts.

At its core, this implies they've got SOME system on the way for determining and tracking and handling family members. If they're doing that for Play Music, then they may be right around the corner for doing the same for app and video ownership. Hopefully.

cr08

One can hope. On the video side this is one of the few reasons why I haven't bought into Google's video service (although I am in love with Play Music). I may actually jump in on TV & Movies if they offer a family sharing system.

I don't think I've ever purchased any, but I've amassed a decent collection through a variety of free offers. I would definitely more seriously consider using them for rentals and purchases if they resolved this.

Colin Richardson

You say that, but Amazon Prime (Family) is all meant to be at the same residence, but my parents are on my Prime, and not at my house. So may not necessarily care TOO much unless people start taking the piss.

I'm not referring to restrictions. I'm referring to the fact that, currently, Google Play has NO system for families at all, be they real or half-assed like we can get away with with Prime. So the fact that they're doing this implies that, for the first time, they may have a family system in place of any sort.

Chris

Would signing up for the family plan mean I have to give up my original All Access subscriber discount rate?

nxtiak

Sounds like it cuz $14.99 > $7.99

Chris

yeah I was just wondering if I could keep the discount so it would only be $12.99

ynksbsbll2

I hope this also means I'd be able to stream different music on my N5 and N7 at the same time.

nxtiak

Uhh why wouldn't you? You can do that now. I can play different music on my phone, tablet, pc at the same time....

Actually I've never tried two "devices". But I'm streaming at work PC via web and my Nexus 6 right now just fine.

AbbyZFresh

It's a bit late for this Google. Spotify and Apple Music have had this since day one.

DoctorRabbitfoot

Maybe Apple Music, but their day 1 was pretty late in the streaming game.

Spotify added family plan about 11 months ago after being quite established. Better late than never for Google.

Chris

yes as long as you define day one as being in the last year

AOSPrevails

better terms than the spotify one and you can't get Apple music on Android for now.

lomsha

Better late than never.

Bruce Wayne

What a stupid thing to say.

Tailor00

You're the biggest turd on every comment section on this website. I genuinely feel you should just fuck off one day.

michael interbartolo

when do we get family sharing of google books/movies/apps? until then I am fine kludging a family music plan with my account on all our devices and the occasional stream kickoff.

Shawn Kovalchick

Will the family plan work for users with fruity phones as well?

Spaniard85

I don't see why it wouldn't. My wife has my Play Music account her iPhone. Definitely looking forward to this!

Rolando Escobar

Damn! I really hope this isn't yet another US exclusive...

Chr Borchgrevink-Vigeland

But very curious to how it will be implemented,account wise.

Tyler Lamb

Hopefully this paves the way for family sharing across more of their services, would be nice to easily share movies, apps etc either I have purchased or my wife has without having to swap accounts within the respective apps.

Martial Clausse

If it works with YouTube red, I'm sold.
No video ads before cartoons for my kids and unlimited music for my wife and I... Yes please !

Awesome. Too bad there's probably no early adopter discount like when All Access was first released. I like my $7.99/mo account (vs $10/mo standard).

lomsha

You never know.

neo905

Yes. I am really playing $8.00 more, not $5.00.

JonJJon

Even with the 1:1 price conversion they always do. I want this in the UK.

tay

the thing is Apple uses icloud to verify family members right? So you can't really "cheat" and sign up for it with a couple of friends(like you can with spotify, which is probably why they cant afford similar prices). But how will Google tackle this issue?

haissam93

We are definitely not getting this deal in Canada.

neo905

Why? I am still on the $7.99 introductory deal.

TrayeLynch

Just curious if this will allow for some kind of parental controls? Does anyone know if Spotify and Apple have parental controls built in?

FU&*%&^$^*&%*% YA!!!! its about time!!! and damn AP whats up with all the super exclusives,.... I remember once upon a time i use to frequent BGR for good news but i forgot who they even are....

northstar17

I think its called Google Music Unlimited now, not All Access. Get your ish together Cam!

Gerardo Sarabia

Beautiful.

Esteban_Colberto

Great. But how many DEVICES per user? Let's say I want to access on a tablet, my Nexus Player, a PC and my phone. Will I be limited to 1 device per user? That's the key piece missing here for me.

Lester_Bangs

I would say the same as it is, 10 devices per user, but only one of those 10 can be used at a time. The actual music system will work as if you are an independent user, its just the billing that is shared.

mateor

This is the announcement I am most excited about, tbh. I can't share my Music account with my family without sharing access to my work email and privileged corporate documents. So glad to see this.

mrjayviper

just music? how about a proper family sharing plan for other purchases as well like Apple?

Thade780

YES!

jazz7

Will it coming to India at last?

xdigi

Google Music continues to try and actually be relevant yet fails miserably.

If they made a Roku app, I would get this in a minute. My kids and wife use free Pandora right now, because we can easily put it on the entertainment center. The Chromecast doesn't work well for it because we don't want our kids messing with our phone.

Miharbi Beperson

"Spotify's family plan is $14.99 a month for just two members"
this information is not correct, i have spotify family plans whit my wife and i only pay 9 dollars month. so for me spotify still cheaper.